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KABUL, Afghanistan — A top Afghan negotiator said yesterday that he hopes that eight members of
the Taliban freed by Pakistan will serve as peace mediators, describing Islamabad’s move as a major
step forward in Kabul’s effort to enlist its neighbor’s help in reaching a negotiated end to its
11-year war.

The eight released on Monday include a man who was justice minister when the Taliban ruled
Afghanistan before their 2001 overthrow, as well as a onetime guard of Taliban leader Mullah Omar.
It was the second batch of prisoners released by Pakistan.

Although both sides describe the deal as a step toward peace, much about the exchange remains
unclear.

Neither side has said where this batch of freed prisoners and a previous group of 18 released in
November have gone, nor what they will be doing. About 100 prisoners are thought to remain in
Pakistani custody.

Ismail Qasemyar, a senior member of the Afghan High Peace Council, called their freeing a “good,
practical” step in the peace process and hoped more releases will follow. It was not known whether
the eight actually favored negotiations, but Qasemyar said it was hoped they would act as
intermediaries between the Taliban leadership and the Kabul government.

“This is a big victory from our trip to Pakistan for peace negotiations. This is a good,
practical step toward peace from Pakistan,” said Qasemyar, the council’s international-affairs
adviser and a key member of a delegation that traveled to Pakistan in November.

Pakistan is seen as key in ending the conflict. Kabul hopes the Taliban can be brought to the
negotiating table before foreign combat troops withdraw from the country in 2014.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the eight detainees were released to aid the peace process and
included ex-justice minister Nooruddin Turabi and guard Mohammad Azeem. It was not known what role
they might play in bringing the Taliban leaders to the negotiating table, what links they have to
the group’s current leadership or their stance on negotiations.

During Taliban rule, the one-legged, one-eyed Turabi was considered to be among the hard-liners
in the regime, charged with dispensing harsh justice for even minor offences against the group’s
draconian policies.

Taliban leaders are thought to be split, with some favoring talks and others opting for
continuing the war.

Waheed Mazhda, a political analyst and former Taliban member, said that Pakistan is playing a
double game with Kabul, pretending to support negotiations but releasing the Taliban prisoners to
please the Pakistani branch of the Taliban.